IPL can only make us better, says ex-England cricketer Robert Key

London, Apr.18 (ANI): One of England's finest Twenty20 minds and captain of Kent, Robert Key, believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) might just help England win back the Ashes.

Key argues that if England are to have any chance of success in June's World Twenty20, then the country's top players must get more practice in the shortest form of the game - and where better than the IPL?

"There is the potential for England to be a very good Twenty20 side. The problem is that the England players haven't got a lot of T20 experience. The England boys need to play more Twenty20 because in that form of the game you have to find your own game plan, your own way of playing. The fact that a few boys are going to the IPL will massively improve them as cricketers, in the 50-over game too," The Independent quoted Key, as saying.

"It can only help. The best players in the world are here, the standard is so good. Some of the England boys have only played a handful of Twenty20 games. The IPL will help us to start catching the other nations up," Key added.Key has been talked of as a potential captain of the World Twenty20 side. The 29-year-old, though, is taking nothing for granted.

He said: "I'm in a strange position because I'm being talked about as captain and I might not even be in the final squad. I never really get too wound up or start thinking too much about things until they happen. It would be an unbelievable opportunity and experience to do it, but I have no idea where I am in the pecking order."

One potential hurdle for Key is he has been away from the England set-up for four years, since he played his last Test match against South Africa in January 2005.

There have been suggestions that more established England players would not welcome his appointment, but Key is unperturbed.

"There's not much you can do about that. I can't ask them to do any different. As captain, you get given the power to do things but you don't get the respect. I think I am respected as a player at Kent but as soon as you get that job [England captain], you have to earn their respect. I've got a few mates in that team that would make my life easier, but it's down to me to earn everyone's respect," Key said. (ANI)